A king sent his son to a distant land so that he would gain knowledge from its elders and wise men. After several years of study, the son returned to the palace filled with worldly wisdom.
The king wished to test his son’s newfound knowledge. He therefore presented him with an enormously heavy rock and instructed him to carry it up to the roof of the palace. There was one condition, however: he was to carry it all on his own, without receiving the slightest assistance.
“But father,” wondered the son, “even ten men would not have the strength necessary to lift such a huge rock! How, then, can I be expected to carry this rock to the roof all by myself?”
“Is this why I sent you away to study wisdom?” asked the father. “After all that you have learned, do you still not know how to lift this rock?”
The son was not ashamed to admit that he had absolutely no idea. “It’s actually very simple,” said the king. “All you have to do is take a hammer and smash the rock into little pieces…”
The Holy One, blessed be He wants man to serve Him wholeheartedly, with holiness and purity. The problem is that our hearts are made of stone…Man has but one choice: He must take a hammer (the Torah/Scriptures and good deeds) and smash his stone heart! The Torah/Scriptures are called a stone, as in the verse “The tables of stone, and the law and the commandment” (Exod. 24:12); the impulse to evil is likewise called a stone, as in the verse “I will take away the heart of stone out of your flesh” (Ezek. 36:26). Thus, since Torah is a stone, and the impulse to evil a stone, let one stone guard against the other stone. (Lev. R. 35:5)
May all your tales end with Shalom (peace)
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Rachmiel Tobesman is a motivational speaker and Maggid (spiritual Storyteller). He is available for speaking engagements or storytelling, Click here to contact us
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